The most successful sailor in Olympic history, Sir Ben Ainslie, has been named a patron of the National Maritime Museum in Cornwall.

The Olympian, who grew up in Falmouth, learned to sail at nearby Restronguet Sailing Club at just aged eight.

The museum is hoping his patronage will help raise the profile of its campaign to raise £4million over the next decade.

Sir Ben became the most successful Olympic sailor at the London 2012 games when he won his fifth consecutive medal at an Olympics, notching four gold medals after a silver in Atlanta 1996.

The museum has been home to his gold medal winning boats since 2004 and the sailor, knighted in the New Year’s Honours last year, has said he is delighted to take on the role.

He told the BBC that he hoped his work with the museum would go on to inspire the next generation of Olympic sailing champions.

“Like me, the museum has a passion for boats and sailing in all its forms and I am delighted to have been asked to become their new patron,” he said.

Jonathan Griffin, the museum's director, said Sir Ben had been a great supporter of the museum since it opened.

“Having a figure of Sir Ben Ainslie's stature as our patron will be of huge benefit as we continue with our campaign to raise £4m over the next decade and secure our future ambitions for the museum,"”he told the BBC.